Jared Littlejohn, 22, was in his Chevrolet Impala around 3 p.m. when an unknown number of armed suspects abducted him. They drove with Littlejohn in his car less than half a mile from the store on North Olden Avenue to the complex on Parkside Avenue, police said.

“He was taken from the ShopRite in Ewing, and they made it as far as Parkside Manor, and that’s where he was shot,” said Sgt. John Stemler, who’s supervising the case as head of Ewing’s Major Crimes Unit.

The Impala made a sharp turn into the main driveway of the complex, where Littlejohn was assaulted and shot in the head. Stemler said police have not been able to determine whether the shooting happened inside the car or outside of it.

Eyewitnesses also saw the Impala run over Littlejohn’s body as it left, Stemler said, but he added that final confirmation of Littlejohn’s injuries will be coming from an autopsy.
The killing shattered the quiet of an early fall day in leafy Parkside Manor, and police were notified almost immediately.

“As soon as it happened, we had several 911 calls,” Stemler said.

Police were still searching yesterday for Littlejohn’s teal green Impala, New Jersey license plates L94CMN, which is still unaccounted for.

Investigators have no apparent motive for Littlejohn’s death, which is Ewing’s first homicide since last July.

Stemler said police were not discounting any scenario, including that of a robbery gone bad.

“We’re not ruling anything out right now,” he said.

No arrests have been made, and though police have “talked with several people,”
according to Stemler, he would not say whether they were witnesses or people brought in for questioning. Ewing police are working with the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, Trenton Police Department, and New Jersey State Police on the case.

Anyone with information on the case should contact Detective Jay Shaler at (609) 882-1313, ext. 5573, or the department’s anonymous tipline at (609) 882-7530.